Proposition 63: <i> ‘Se Habla Ingles’</i>

The article (Editorial Pages, Aug. 28) by Frank del Olmo against Proposition 63, “Se Habla Ingles . . . ,” misses the point completely. Del Olmo calls us, who are for Proposition 63, “mean-spirited and anti-immigrant.”

He finds it amazing that we are worried about the future of the English language in this country. How silly these remarks are in view of the fact that so many of us who are for Proposition 63 are immigrants ourselves. Many of us did not speak English, but we learned it without American tax dollars used to teach us, nor did we clamor for ballots in Italian, Greek, Maltese, German, Russian, etc.

To call us mean-spirited and small-minded is a political ruse designed to keep and control the votes of “Spanish-only” speaking constituents.

I am an immigrant myself and know firsthand the importance of being able to speak English to survive and compete in the business world today, not only in the United States but in almost the entire world, precisely because of the language of finance and technology.

I have known Spanish-speaking people who have lived in this country for 10 years or more and survived with the crutches of Spanish-speaking social services, thus hindering them from being able to qualify for better paying jobs--what a disservice. What a “Catch-22!”

ANTOINETTE WILLOCK

Santa Monica